Bellows trimming machine



Nov. 7; 1950 s. w. STEELE 2,528,731

' v BELLOIS 'i'aluumc MACHINE Filed on. 1, 1947 Y 3 Sheets-Shoot 1 INVENTQR Samuel W Steele. ca/mmmqlaiwmijum ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1950 s. W. STEELE 2,528,731

BELLOWS 'mxuumc mcama Filed Oct. 1, 1947 s Shoet-She'ai 2 q ..'j C 1* 1 5 .51 74 v 90 v v k I 35 f l l 26 57 INVENTOR Samuel WSteeIe.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1950 s, w, EEL 2,528,731

BELLOIS 'mmmc ucn'm:

F11 012t- 1, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ,L ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 7, 1950 BELLOWS TRIDIMING MACHINE Samuel W. Steele, Knoxville, Tenn., assignor to Robertshaw-Fulton Controls' Company, Knoxville, Tenn., a corporation of Delaware Application October 1, 1947, Serial No. 777,304

8 Claims. (Cl. 164 38) This invention relates to a machine for trimming the ends of tubular elements, and more particularly the ends from expansible and collapsible corrugated tubular walls, commonly called bellows.

One-piece bellows are usually made by blanking a disk from sheet metal, drawing the disk into a tube of smaller or greater length depending upon the number of corrugations to be formed in the cylindrical wall, and then deeply corrugating the tubular wall, as for example by hydrostatic pressure. The completed bellows as so produced has its open end of greater or less extension beyond the nearest adjacent corrugation, and also of more or less irregularity, so that it is customary to trim off the extreme end of the so corrugated tube to the end that the finished product will have a predetermined overall length, within manufacturing tolerances, and also a regular extremity.

2 the drawings are for purposes of illustration only, and are not to be construed as definitions of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims forthat purpose.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts in the several figures,

Fig. 1 isa somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2is a corresponding side elevation with certain parts broken away to illustrate others; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

It is an object of this invention to provide a bellows trimming machine'of improved construction by which the bellows may be economically trimmed at relatively high speed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved machine of the type characterized which assures uniformity in the extent to which the trimmed bellows project beyond the nearest corrugation.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved machine of the type characterized which involves a minimum of intervention by the. operator so as to eliminate as nearly as may be the variations due to human error, and thereby enable the machine to be run by relatively unskilled workmen.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved machine of the type characterized with a safety device which will minimize chances of injury to the operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved machine of the type characterized with pneumatic provisions for removing the trimmed bellows and trimmings.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved machine of the type characterized which is simple in construction, economical to operate, and highly efiicient in the high speed trimming of bellows.

Other objects will appear as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions only one of which has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings, and it is therefore to be expressly understood that Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail.

In the form shown the frame of the machine includes a platform [0 having an aperture II in which is secured a tubular block l2 flanged at its upper end at I3 where it is secured to the platform ID by any suitable number of bolts or screws l4. Mounted in said block l2 in any suitable way as by threading is an exteriorly threaded bearing sleeve I5 having an interiorly threaded collar I6 locked thereto against rotation by set screw l'l. Received in said bearing sleeve I5 is a stub shaft [8 secured against upward movement by a collar I9 locked to the shaft by set screw 20. The lower end of shaft I8 is reduced in diameter and mounted thereon is a pulley 2| suitably secured to the shaft as by a set screw 22. Pulley 2| may be driven in any suitable way, as by a belt 23 from a pulley 24 driven from any suitable motor through any suitable gearing, the motor being shown as an electric motor 25 supported by a bracket 26 at the underside of the platform ID.

The upper end of shaft i8 is somewhat tapered as shown at 21 and suitably secured thereto for rotation with the shaft I8 is a turntable 28, as by a block 29 attached to the shaft by screw 30. Mounted on said turntable is any suitable number of rotatable spindles, six being shown in Fig. 1. As shown, turntable 28 is provided with suitably spaced apertures 3| and mounted in each of said apertures is a stationary bearing block 32 which is flanged at 33 and by which the block is suitably secured to the turntable as by bolts or screws 34. Each block 32 has an extension 35 projecting upwardly therefrom, and extending through said block and extension is an opening 36 which is eccentrically disposed with respect to said extension as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Mounted in said opening 36 is a spindle 31 which extends below the lower extremity of the block where it is reduced in cross section at 38. Mounted on said extension 88 is a roller 88 of any suitable construction, preferably having a cylindrical portion of friction material as rubber, said roller being secured on said extension in any suitable way as by a nut 4| with one or more washers 48 (see Fig. 4). Secured to the opposite end of the spindle 81, as by a screw 42, ms. disk-48 which asasnsr verted U -shaped configuration to provide a gap 14 through-which the spindle blocks 82', 88 with the elements mounted on disks 48 may pass, said guard providing downwardly projecting extensions l8 and 18 which close the spaceby which access can be gained to the elements being trimmed while in contact with the knife edge 80.

Suitably securedon said post i8 is a bracket 'Il carrying .a housing 18 in which is disposed any suitable spring actuated switch which is normally closed and has an actuating member 19 projecting exteriorly thereof into a position to be engaged the rollers 88 as the turntable 28 is rotated, said arcuate face 41 being of such extent that each roller by engagement therewith will be caused to rotate sufficiently to cause at least one complete revolution of the element to be trimmed mounted on the associated disk 48. The upper end of said block or frame '48 has attached thereto a stationary 'knife 48 having an inwardly facing concave arcuate edge 8 (see Fig. 4) which slightly imderlies the overhang 44 of each disk 48, the length of said cutting edge-88 being such as to be in contact'with the element to be trimmed mounted on said disk 48 at least through one complete revolution of said element. Knife 48 is secured on the block 48 in any suitable way, as by two or more threaded studs 8|.

Slidably mounted on the top of the knif 481s a plate 82 lying in the plane of and having substantially the same thickness as each disk 48, said plate 82 being preferably spring urged toward the disk 48, and having an inner concave arcuate edge which is coextensive with the cutting edge 88. As shown, the plate 82 is suitably notched at its rear edge to form tongues 88 which are slotted tolcooperate slidably with pins 84 carriedby threaded members 85 adjustably retained by nuts 88 in apertures provided in posts 81 mounted on the platform I8 in any suitable way. Surround- (shown broken off in Fig. 2), where they are reand operated by the guard I8 if thrust-toward the, housing 18. Accordingly when guard 18 is rotated around its pivot 12 by the operator trying to thrust his hand into opening 14 the switch actuator 18 opens the switch against the tension of its spring and stops the motor. Suitable cables extend from the switch 18 to the motor 28, being shown as housed in a pipe or casing 80.

The machine is also preferably constructed'so that the removal of a trimmed element from each disk 48, and also theremoval of the trimmings are effected pneumatically. As shown more particularly in Fig. 2, a conduit 82 controlled by'a suitable valve 88 leads to a T coupling 84 from which extend pipes 88 and 88. Suitable pressure reducing valves 81 may be employed to secure the desired pressures in pipes 88 and 88. Pipes 88 and 88-, respectively, extend to nozzles 88 and 88 spectively disposed at oppositesides of a station 84 through which each spindle 81' passes soon after leaving the knife 48 and its associated plates 82 and-63. Nozzle 88 is so located with respect to an element mounted on a disk 48 that said element is blown therefrom'into a downwardly mclined tubular chute 98 leading to a tray or other ing each member 88 and reacting between the bottom 88 of a notch in plate 82 and an abutment nut88,carried by th member 88 is a coil spring 88. 'I'herebythe plate 82 is resiliently urged. the right as viewed in Fig. 3 to press the eleme mounted on each disk 48, while opposite the'knif '82 and 88 and the knife blade 48 for retaining their proper relative the parts adjustably in positions.

To assure that an'operator may not have his hand brought into contact with the knife when the machine is running, a safety device is provided which opens the circuit to the electric motor 28 if the operator thrusts his hand toward the knife when the machine is running. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an upstanding post?" carried by the top of platform I 8 has suitably secured thereto, as by nuts H, a rod I2 on which suitable receptacle 8|. Nozzle 89 is so disposed that the trimming which has dropped down-' wardly ontothe flange 88 around th extension 88 is blown upwardly and into a, downwardly inclined tubular chute 92 leading to a tray or other suitable receptacle 88. I

:In operation, a xbellows to be trimmed is mounted on .eachdisk48, with its open end facin downwardly'as'showr'i in Fig. 4, when each 48 reaches the station generally designated 88.

The bellows'is then supported on said disk 48 by the lower wall of the flrst'inwardly extending corrugation m, resting on the disk 4:, the extent of.

contact of thedisk s: with said corrugation being sufficient to support the bellows in position. 'As- I suming that the turntable 28 is being constantly rotated at the-proper rate because of the relative sizes of thepulleys 2| and .24 and any reduction gearing incorporated in themotor 25, rotation of the turntable 28 in the direction-of the arrow 88 in Fig.-1'-will' bring the bellows supported on the disks 48 in succession into cooperative relationship with the knife 48 and the spring pressed plates- 52' and 0:,- the'rollers as simultaneously being brought into. cooperative relationship with the arcuate surfacej'l'lf." m t u and g j engage the tubular extension at the. open end-of the bellows in the plane of the disk; 48, and th corrugation immediately 'adiacent "thereto; so'

to holdfthebell'ows en and against the 48. Roller 88 being so-constructedandarranged I that a driving engagement ijsjset up between the same and the arcuatesurface'j'l, each spindle 81 is rotated by its roller.8 '8 rollingon the arcuate' i surface 41, andth'erefore' its associated disk 48 is rotated. causing the bellows thereon to roll on is pivotally mounted a guard 18 shown as of in- ;s the-arcuate edges of the plates Hand 88,- while the cutting edge 50 has cutting engagement with the periphery of the tubular wall surrounding the open end of the bellows. As the duration of contact between the roller 39 and the arcuate surface 47 is sufficient to cause a complete revolution of the bellows mounted on each disk 43, the open end portion of the bellows is trimmed off at a predetermined distance from the adjacent wall of the nearest corrugation. At the completion of a revolution of the bellows, the roller 39 passes out of driving contact with the arcuate surface 41 and the spindle 21 ceases to rotate.

When the spindle reaches the station generally indicated 94 in Fig. 1, the nozzle 88 first blows the trimmed bellows off the disk 43 whereupon it is received in the inclined chute 90 and falls into the tray 9|. Thereafter, the nozzle 89 blows the trimming which has fallen onto the flange 33 into the inclined chute 92 whereupon it is delivered to tray 93.

The vertical relationship between the disk 43 and the edge of the trimming knife 48 may be adjusted by threading the bearing sleeve I5 into or out of the block I2, to raise or lower the turntable 28, and then locking the parts in adjusted position by the collars and set screws above described.

It will therefore be perceived that the present invention provides a simple machine that can be operated by relatively unskilled labor and at relatively high speed 'to trim ofi the open ends of bellows to a predetermined distance from the corrugation nearest the open end, thereby largely if not entirely eliminating the variations incident to trimming under manual control. Once the machine is set the operator merely has to place the bellows in position, following which all subsequent operations are automatic, the trimmed bellows being delivered from the machine in rapid succession. By reason of the safety provision, danger that the operator will have his fingers drawn into contact with the trimming knife has been obviated, and by reason of the pneumatic provisions the trimmings as well as the trimmed bellows are automatically removed from the machine. The machine is highly efficient in operation and can be readily driven at a speed such that the rate of trimming bellows may be materially increased over that heretofore obtained.

While the embodiment of the invention illustrated on the drawings has been described with considerable particularity, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, as the same is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, while changes may be made in the details of construction, sizes, arrangements, proportion of parts, etc., and parts may be replaced by equivalent parts, without departing from the spirit of this invention. While the invention has been described with respect to its application to the trimming of bellows for which it has particular utility, it will also be apparent that it may also be used to advantage for the trimming of other tubular elements. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of said invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable turntable, a plurality of bearing blocks mounted on said turntable, a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said blocks and offset with respect to the axis thereof and projecting beyond the same, a drivdisk means for supporting an element to betrimmed on each'spindle and partially extending beyond its respective bearing block, means providing a concave' arcuate surface concentric with the axis of said turntable and positioned to be engaged by each driving roller to'rotate the same as the turntable rotates each spindle past said surface, and a stationary arcuately concave irimming member concentric with the axis of said turntable and engageable with the element on each supporting means while said element and supporting means is being rotated by the associated spindle.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable turntable, a pinrality of bearing blocks mounted on said turntable, a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said blocks and projecting beyond the same, a driving roller on the projecting end of each spindle,.disk means for supporting an element to :be trimmed on each spindle and partially extending beyond its respective bearing block, a member providing a concave arcuate surface concentric with the axis of said turntable and positioned to be engaged by each driving roller to rotate the same for at least a complete revolution of an element on said supporting means, a stationary arcuately concave trimming member concentric with-the axis of said turntable and carried by said first member, said trimming member being engageableable with the element on each supporting means for at least a complete revolution of said element while said element and supporting means is being rotated by the associated spindle.

' 3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable turntable, a plurality of bearing blocks mounted on said turntable, a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said blocks and projecting beyond the same, a driving roller on the projecting end of each spindle, means for supporting an element to be trimmed on each spindle, means providing a concave arcuate surface concentric with the axis of said turntable and positioned to be engaged by each driving roller to rotate the same as said turntable rotates each spindle past said surface, a stationary arcuately concave trimming member concentric with the axis of said turntable and engageable with the element on each supporting means while said element and supporting means is being rotated by the associated spindle, and means resiliently mounted on said trimming member for pressing each element against its supporting means while the element is in engagement with said trimming member.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotatable turntable, a plurality of bearing blocks mounted on said turntable, a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said blocks and projecting beyond the same, a driving roller at the projecting end of each spindle, means for supporting an element to be trimmed on each spindle, a member providing a concave arcuate surface concentric with the axis of said turntable and positioned to be engaged by each driving roller to rotate the same as said turntable rotates each spindled past said surface, a stationary arcuately concave trimming member concentric with the axis of said turntable and engageable with the element on each supporting means while said element and supporting means is being rotated by the associated spindle, and means associated with said trimming member for pressing each element against its supporting a h m I i j means while the element is measurement with ient ma chasm tan jstidfjiast said trimming member. said last named means member for pressing; the same' int'o' contact with including a stationary arcua ly concave member the element on each supporting .-m,eans.;,

concentric with the axis'oi. said turntable-and 7. In an appflrfl m bf the haracte described. v with which the element has rolling contact while 5 t combination r na 1; 1 p111. u

in ensagem ntwi h [said tri m e mber. vrality of bearing blocks; mounted on said turn- 5. In an apparatus of the character described, table, a spindlerotatably mounted .in-efach'ptsaid the combination of a rotatable turntable. a pl'ublocks and-projecting-beyond the jsa'meyal drivin I rality of bearing blocks mounted on said turnroller 'on the projecting'endoiQeach spindle,

'table,.a spindle rotatably mounted in each at said 10 means for 'gupportin'g gnl mj gog trimmed blocks and projecting beyond the same, a driving on each spindle/means providing aconcave'arroller on the {projectingengi of each spindle. cuate suriace-cbhcentflcwith itneaans. 'ofiisaid means for, supporting an element'to be trimmed turntableand positioned to be engaged by each on each spindle, a member providing a concave ;,driving rollerj-t'o rotate the same the turntable arcuate suriaceconcentric with the axis of said '15 "rotates each spindle past said suriace,aa station'- turntable and positioned to be engaged by each ary arcuately concave trimming member concendriving roller to rotate the same as said turn- I j trio-with the axis of said turntable and engagetable rotates 'eachspindle past said suriace',; a T able with the element on ,each supportinggmeans .meable with the element on each supporting means associated. with said turntablei'or severally meanswhile said element and supporting means removing the trimmed element and the trimming;

' Jor pressing each element against its .supporting trimmed firmly against said supporting means.

- the combination oi arotatable turntable,- aplu I 'g'suriace concentric, with the axis for turntable-and positionedtobe 'engagedby';'eac V -.drivingl 'rol ler to rotate the same as saidturn v rotates {each-spindle past said suriace ai-sta aryia' c we e means nde is beingrotated by the associated spindlaja'nd means associated with said trimming memberg-' "past said trimming member. v

means, said-last named-means including ajsta tionary'membermounted on said trimminggne berandhaving an arcuate concave suri ac coex tensive and concentricwith the edge or said-trim ming member for holding the} element be in ,6. -In anapparatus ofthe character described;-

rality oft-bearing"blocks mounted. on said-;-turn "turntable and positioned to beenga'g'ed byfeaeh trio with the axis of said turntable andlengageieachgspindl'e, means-providing a concavegar with said motor, and guardmeansopferableto uately concave knifeconcentrijc wit .th

; s dturntable and engageable with th sa'idtrimming member; 1 v V eiemen each supporting meanswhilesai 1 g SAMUEL,W..-

, 7 element supporting means is being r tat Y 7 by the associated spindle, and means'associated BEFI-IRENCES' v v n I h saii'trimming member impre 0 The following references are of recor tin' 'the element against its supporting means, saiddast; m o this t named means including a stationary member j. .7 y having anarcuate concave surfacecoextensive I UNITED STA ES P j andconcentric with the edge of said trimming- I Name Date member' for holding-the element being trimmed ,:9v'l2,828 .g Cosbyup Oct. 18,1910

. stattpnaryaarcuately concave trimmingmei'nber awhile said element and-supporting means'isbeing v concentric with theaxis oi saidturntableandv-en-i 2ozrotated by the associated spindle; and'pneumatic p Latter "the element is rotated bysaidflturntabie w 8. Inan apparatus 01 the charactendescribed the combination of a-rotatable turntablefapiu- "rality of bearing blocks mounted on said v table, aspindle-rotatably mounted injeacho! said blocksand projecting beyond the same,'g"a jdrivi ng roller on the projecting end of ieach spindlaij means for supporting an elementto be 'trimnied on -each spindle, means providing'a concave. ar f1 j cuatesurface concentric with the axisof-said driving-roller to'rotate thesameassald turntable s rotates each spindie'past said suriacafastationary arcuately concave trimming membeiiconcem able with the element'on each supporting means. while said element and supporting mean's is being rotated by the associated spindle, nieahsifiorji-oy tating said turntable, an electric.switchihicircuit emse said switch only whenin positio rto hield 

